County / In Brief

December 3, 2012

The Native Hawaiian health care group has five chapters statewide that help transport Native Hawaiians and their families to Oahu and Maui for specialty care, such as chemotherapy and cardiovascular surgery.

HMSA's grant helps continue this service by assisting in travel expenses incurred from airfare and overnight accommodations.

Members of the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems transport patients from the airport to their appointments and ensure their basic needs are met.

"Our people have been so well cared for when we've sent them to Honolulu," said Michelle Hiraishi, executive director of the health care system on the Big Island. "It has been a positive experience for our patients, and they've gotten the treatment they needed."

The Maui group is called Hui No Ke Ola Pono, which can be reached at 244-4647, and the group for Molokai and Lanai residents is Na Pu'uwai, which can be contacted at 560-3653.

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Remote testimony to be accepted

Residents of Hana, Lanai and Molokai will be able to remotely provide oral testimony for Maui County Council meetings beginning this week.

The move carries out a Maui County Charter amendment that Maui voters approved last month to require interactive communications access for public testimony at regular council and committee meetings held in Wailuku for residents of Hana, Lanai, Molokai and other rural areas.

Starting Thursday, oral testimony will be accepted via telephone from council district offices in Hana and on Lanai and Molokai. The district offices are located at:

* Hana Community Center.

* Lanai Community Center.

* 100 Ainoa St. in Kaunakakai.

"We welcome the communities' participation from these remote testimony sites, and ask for everyone's patience as we continue to improve out interactive capabilities along the way," Council Chairman Danny Mateo said in a statement.

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Crews beat back brush fire in Kula

Fire crews fought a small brush fire in Kula on Saturday.

Crews responded to the blaze on Olakino Place in the Hawaiian Homestead area makai of Keokea Park at 4:49 p.m., and found one-quarter of an acre of brush on fire, according to Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga. The fire was brought under control at 5:25 p.m.